1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to harvesting means and more particularly to an improved harvester for hydroponically grown produce transported in cups suspended in an elongated flexible strip.
2. Prior Art
Various types of equipment have been devised for hydroponically growing produce such as fruits and vegetables in controlled environments. One of the types of systems involves the use of fluid-bearing troughs covered with flexible plastic or the like in which are suspended growing plants. When it is time to harvest the plants, the covering for the trough must be removed and the plants hand picked and separated from the covering. Such a system requires a substantial amount of hand labor for the harvesting operation and is relatively slow and inefficient.
There is known an improved hydroponic growing system which employs an elongated trough containing a pair of tracks in which is disposed an elongated flexible strip. The strip has a plurality of vertical apertures extending therethrough and spaced along the length of the strip. Growing cups having upper outwardly extending flanges, bottoms which are permeable to plant roots and open tops are disposed vertically in the strips, the lower portions hanging down into the trough in contact with hydroponic growing fluid. The cups contain growing plants. Each trough may be supported in a frame or the like. When it is desired to harvest the plants the strip can be pulled to one end of the trough and the plants can be removed with or without the cups. The strip can then be cleaned and reused, and new cups containing fresh plants can be added thereto. While it is possible to harvest the plants from such a system by hand, it would be desirable to provide a mechanical harvester which would facilitate more rapid uniform harvesting of the plants.